Bow quiver



Jan. 30, 1968 c. A. SAUNDERS 3,366,1Q1

BOW QUIVER I F J' led July '7, 196 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 /Nl EA/7'0R CHARLES A. SAUNDERS Jan. 30, 1968 c. A. SAUNDERS BOW QUIVER Filed Ju ly v, 1965,

2 Sheets-Sheet Y/NVEIVTOR CHARL 53 A. SAUNDERS United States Patent Ofifice 3,366,101 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 3,366,101 BOW QUIVER Charles A. Saunders, Box 102, Columbus, Nebr. 68601 Filed July 7, 1965, Ser. No. 470,082 10 Claims. (Cl. 124--30) This invention relates to archery and, more particularly, to an apparatus useful in providing a bow quiver or magazine for supporting arrows on a bow at a location close to the firing position while avoiding interference with the casting of arrows.

The instant invention is directed to an apparatus readily attachable on any type of bow without upsetting the balance of the bow, and it is the aim of the present invention to provide a bow-supported quiver which is light in weight, simple in construction, and which obviates the shortcomings of prior art devices.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a quiver adapted to be secured to the bow and which holds the arrows securely within the quiver while permitting the arrows to be withdrawn with a minimum of effort.

A related object of the invention is to provide a quiver which does not in any sense interfere with the arrows when casting.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a quiver which may be secured to the bow and which will not interfere with the stringing of the bow.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bowmounted quiver from which the arrows are easily removed for rapid sequential use.

An additional object is to provide a bow-mounted quiver in which the arrow heads are protected and shielded until the arrows are removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved bow-clamping means and including torsion bar spring devices for securing the quiver to the bow.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent upon reference to the specification and to the attached drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which like parts are identified by like reference symbols in each of the views, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the quiver of the invention, attached to a bow and with the upper ends of the frame omitted;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the tensioned pivotal mounting of the bow clamping arms of the quiver;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the quiver;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of FIGURE 2.

The aims and objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a light-weight quiver consisting of a generally U-shaped frame which is connected to and supported upon a bow adjacent its handle by means of spaced, pretensioned, torsion bars and spring arms which firmly and resiliently grip the bow. The arrows themselves are firmly yet removably supported by pairs of spaced racks which are in turn supported on the frame of the quiver.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, for the purposes of disclosure, a preferred embodiment of the quiver of the invention is shown as comprising an elongated generally U-shaped frame 12 having parallelly disposed legs 14 and 16 and an integrally formed base 18 extending transversely of and connecting corresponding ends of the legs 14 and 16.

Spanning the parallel legs 14 and 16 of the frame 12 adjacent upper and lower ends of the frame 12 and supported thereon are upper and lower torsion bar spring rods 26 and 28. The spring rods 26 and 28 are rotatably mounted in collars or bushings 30 and 3-011 and 32 and 32a which are in turn supported upon the legs 14 and 16 of the frame 12. Frictionally held sleeves or collars 34 and 34a and 36 and 36a carried by the torsion bar spring rods 26 and 28 control and limit movement of the spring rods transversely of the frame legs 14 and 16. As illustrated most clearly in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, each of the torsion bar spring rods 26 and 28 is integrally formed or shaped at one of its ends to provide a bowgrasping spring clamp 40 and 427 While the upper and lower torsion bar and spring clamp assemblies 44 and 46 may be of identical structure, in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated there are differences.

Referring now to the upper assembly 44, the bow clamp 40 is formed by bending the torsion bar spring rod 26 transversely of its length, to form an arm 48, and then reversing the bend to form a loop and to define a second arm 50 generally paralleling the first arm 48. The free end of the arm 50 is then bent transversely of the arm 48 to form a cross-bar 52, and, finally, the free end of the cross-bar 52 is bent to extend generally parallel to and n substantial lateral correspondence with the second arm 60 to provide a third arm 54. In the particular embodiment of the invention depicted, the cross-arm 52 is made transversely arcuate or otherwise deformed so that the three arms of the spring clamps 48, 52 and 54 lie in substantially the same plane. As seen most clearly in FIG- URE 1, the clamp 40 is e-shaped and, in use, the lower two arms 50 and 54 of the e form a c which stressingly and compressively engages the how 60 at a position upwardly of the handle portion 62.

At its end opposite the bow clamp 40, the upper torsion bar spring rod 26 is reversely bent to form a U structure 66, the U lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the three arms 48, 50 and 54 of the bow clamp 40. As illustrated most clearly in FIG- URES 1 and 3, the reversely bent arm 70 of the U is of a length suflicient to extend beyond and intersect the transversely disposed arm 14 of the frame 12 of the quiver so that upon positioning of the spring clamp 40 for engagement on the bow 60, the arm '70 will act as a mechanical stop means to limit rotation of the spring rod 46 thereby providing a torsion bar structure.

As has been pointed out, the lower torsion bar and spring clamp assembly 46 is substantially of the same structure as the upper assembly 44. However, as clearly shown in FIGURE 1, and as also evident from FIGURES 2 and 3, the lower spring clamp 42 is integrally connected to the torsion bar 28 by means of an offset bar 76. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the reversely bent arm 70a is phased with respect to the position of the corresponding arm 70 of the upper assembly 44. Thus, upon displacing the upper spring clamp downwardly below the plane of the frame 12 and upon rotation of the clamp 40- in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the clamp side of the quiver, the stop arm 70 of the torsion bar and spring clamp assembly 44 engages the underside of the leg 14 forwardly of the torsion bar spring rod 26. At the same time and with the lower spring clamp 42 extending below the frame 12 of the quiver, and upon rotation of the spring clamp clockwise as viewed from the clamp side of the quiver, the reversely bent arm 70a of the lower torsion spring bar and clamp assembly 46 engages the underside of the leg 14 of the frame rearwardly of the lower torsion bar spring rod 28.

From the foregoing description, and as seen most clearly in FIGURE 1, as the spring clamp members 40 and 42 are urged away from each other to assume substantially a parallel relationship, the torsion bar spring rods, through the reversely bent arms 70 and 7011 which are brought into stress contact with the leg 14 of the frame, assume a state of resilient tension. It is this state which is obtained when the quiver is attached to the supporting bow as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The untensioned dispositions of the torsion rod and spring clamp assemblies 44 and 46 are illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 2 and the substantially parallel or tensioned positions are illustrated in dotted lines. Since the bow tapers to a somewhat thicker configuration from each end toward the central or handle portion, and since the torsion bar tensioned clamps tend to move toward each other, they move into a more firmly gripping engagement with the bow.

The manner in which arrows or arrow shafts are held in the quiver of the invention will be described with reference to FIGURES 1, 3 and 4. Supported at longitudinally spaced positions and transversely of the legs 14 and 16 of the frame 12 of the bow quiver are upper and lower arrow shaft-supporting racks 8t) and 82. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the racks are sleeved on respective upper and lower torsion bar spring rods 26 and 28. Each rack includes a plurality of pairs of arrow shaft gripper assemblies which include gripping fingers 90 and 90a, the finger pairs defining therebetween shaft receiving slots or openings 96 of a dimension slightly smaller than the arrow shaft to be supported by the fingers 90 and fitla. The slightly constricted openings 96 extend radially inwardly of the racks and are in direct communication with somewhat larger openings 100 which are substantially round in shape and of a diameter corresponding to the shaft diameter of the arrow to be grasped and retained in the rack. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fingers and 90a and the related structure defining the shaft receiving openings 96 and 100 are fabricated of resilient material such as rubber, flexible plastic or the like to facilitate insertion of the arrow shafts 104 and for positive retention thereof until removed for use.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the arrow shaft supporting racks carry gripper assemblies which are both above and below a plane defined by the frame 12 of the quiver. In addition, in a preferred arrangement the finger pairs of the gripper assemblies are staggered to facilitate loading the rack and removal of arrows therefrom. The upper and lower racks are of the same general configuration and support opposed ends of the arrow shaft so that the arrows extend substantially parallel to each other and in planes generally parallel to the frame of the quiver.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the cooperating arrow shaft supporting racks 80 and 82 of the invention hold seven arrows. There is, of course, no criticality in the number of arrows held in the quiver, since those skilled in the art will be able, in the light of the teachings of the instant invention, to modify the general structure so that other preferred numbers of arrows may be used.

Extending over and interconnecting the free ends of the generally 'U-shaped frame 12 of the bow quiver is a bonnet or shield 110 which is generally cup-shaped in form and which serves to protect the arrow heads of arrow shafts 104 carried in the quiver 10. In the preferred form of the quiver illustrated, the lower annular wall portion 112 of the bonnet 110 is provided with bores or slots 116 and 116a adapted to receive the free ends 122 and 124 of the frame legs 14 and 16 for supporting the bonnet 110 on the frame 12. Frictional engagement may be relied upon to maintain the bonnet 110 in position on the frame. If preferred, adhesive means may be used to augment and secure the attachment.

A very important feature of the quiver of the inven-' tion is a novel and highly useful means for facilitating the removal of arrows from the gripper assemblies or shaft-holding fingers 90 and 90a. Referring now to FIG- Cir URES 2, 3 and 5, the quiver 10 is provided with a pivot bar 130 spanning and extending transversely of the legs 14 and 16 of the frame 12 of the quiver and positioned intermediate the upper arrow gripping rack and the arrow head protecting bonnet 110. The push-off or pivot bar 130 includes integral bushings 132 and 132a and is supported at its opposite ends on the frame legs 14 and 16 acts as a mechanical stop or as a fulcrum. A pair of sleeves or spacers 136 and 1360 carried on the frame legs 14 and 16 separate the upper rack 80 from the pivot bar 130, and spacers 138 and 138a limit upward movement of the pivot bar. Upon disengaging the arrow shaft 104 from the lower gripping fingers and 99a of the lower rack 82, and upon moving or lifting the shaft in a plane generally transverse that plane defined by the frame 112 of the quiver, and with the forward shaft portions of the arrows still held in the upper rack 80, the forward portion of the arrow shaft intermediate the upper rack 80 and the annular wall portion 112 of the bonnet is brought into engagement to bear against the pivot bar to greatly facilitate and simplify the disengagement of the arrow shaft 104 from the upper rack 80. The shape of the pivot bar 130 is such that it constitutes an adjunct to and operates in cooperation with the stepped or staggered arrangement in the arrow shaft gripping finger assemblies of the upper rack.

For any given spatial separation of the upper 80 and the lower 82 arrow shaft supporting racks, arrows of several different lengths may be used. In some instances, however, it may be desirable either to bring the two racks closer together or to move them farther apart. In order to facilitate such an adjustment, in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the lower rack assembly 82 is disposed to slide along the opposed legs 14 and 16 and is provided with locking means 140 and 142 which, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 3 comprise bushings or collars having drilled and tapped bores in which Allen screws 146 and 148 are fitted to engage the legs 14 and 16 of the frame and to lock the lower rack 82 at any preferred lower limit on the frame. Frictionally positionable slidable rings 86 and 86a carried on the frame legs 14 and 16 cooperate to retain the racks at any preselected position.

Lightweight metal allows such as alloys of aluminum and of magnesium are preferred structural materials for the frame 12 and for the torsion bar spring rods 26 and 28, as well as for the spring clamp assemblies 44 and 46 of the quiver. The metallic components of the quiver assembly are preferably anodized or otherwise treated to impart corrosion resistant qualities. In addition, the spring clamp elements 44 and 46 of the quiver are preferably coated with an elastomeric material or relatively soft resilient coating 152 to enhance the gripping action of these clamps on the bow and to obviate any damage to the bow itself. Plastisol compositions of the type wellknown in the art have been found to be particularly suitable. These coatings may be applied in any preferred technique such as by dipping.

While this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments and structural materials, it is evident that the invention is not limitedthereto. To the extent that changes and modifications which may be made are within the scope of the appended claims, they are to be considered a part of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A quiver adapted to be secured to upper and lower limbs of a bow to bridge a hand grip portion of said how, said quiver comprising:

an elongated generally U-shaped frame opening upwardly and including a pair of coextensive, parallel, opposed laterally spaced legs and a base extending transversely of said legs and integrally connecting lower ends thereof; l

a dish-shaped bonnet connected to and supported on opposed upper free ends of said legs of said frame frame adjacent upper and lower ends thereof and extending between said opposed legs and transversely thereof;

each said upper and lower racks comprising a plurality of pairs of laterally spaced flexible, resilent arrow shaft gripping fingers for grasping arrow shafts at axially spaced positions to hold said shafts firmly yet releasably in said quiver whereby said shafts extend substantially parallel to said legs of said frame and heads of said arrows extend into said bonnet;

a torsion bar extending transversely across said opposed legs of said frame and journaled, thereon for rotation about an axis bridging and perpendicular to said legs;

spaced upper and lower bow-clamping brackets connected to said frame and adapted to engage and clamp upon said upper and lower limbs of said how;

means integrally connecting one of said clamping brackets to said torsion bar;

stop means integral with said torsion bar and disposed upon rotation of said bar to engage and bear against one of said legs of said frame to oppose resiliently further rotation of said bar and to limit movement of said one of said clamping brackets associated therewith;

whereby upon attachment of said clamping brackets to said limbs of said bow, said one of said brackets associated with said torsion bar is biased and urged resiliently toward a thickened central portion of said bow to hold said quiver in firm stressing engagement on said how.

2. The quiver of claim 1 and further comprising slide means for adjusting longitudinal spacing between said upper and lower bow-clamping brackets.

3. The quiver of claim 1 and wherein said pairs of gripping fingers of said racks open on either side of a plane defined by said frame to support arrows on opposite sides of said frame.

4. The quiver of claim 1 and further comprising a push off bar spanning said opposed legs of said frame and extending substantially transversely thereof intermediate said upper rack and said bonnet and adapted to facilitate release of arrows held in said gripping fingers,

said push off bar being adapted to engage a forward shaft portion of said arrows for pivotal dislodgment of said arrows from said upper rack upon removal of arrow shafts from said lower rack thereby easing release of said arrows from said quiver.

5. A quiver adapted to be secured to upper and lower limbs of a bow to bridge a hand grip portion of said bow, said quiver comprising:

an elongated generally U-shaped frame opening upwardly and including a pair of coextensive, parallel, opposed laterally spaced legs and a base extending transversely of said legs and integrally connecting lower ends thereof;

a dish-shaped bonnet connected to and supported on opposed upper free ends of said legs of said frame and comprising a shield for protecting arrow heads of arrows carried in said quiver;

a pair of arrow shaft supporting racks comprising an upper and a lower rack in vertically spaced relation, said racks bridging and supported on said legs of said frame adjacent upper and lower ends thereof and extending between said opposed legs and transversely thereof;

each said upper and lower racks comprising a plurality of pairs of laterally spaced flexible, resilient arrow shaft gripping fingers for grasping arrow shafts at axially spaced positions to hold said shafts firmly yet releasably in said quiver whereby said shafts extend substantially parallel to said legs of said frame and heads of said arrows extend into said bonnet; upper and lower torsion bar spring rods extending transversely across said opposed legs of said frame and journaled thereon at vertically spaced positions for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said legs;

upper and lower bow clamping brackets integrally connected to corresponding said upper and lower torsion bar spring rods; each of said clamping brackets defining an open ended bow limb receiving and clamping slot being in a plane extended transversely of said spring rod;

stop means connected to each said rods and disposed upon rotation of said rods to engage and bear against one of said opposed legs of said frame resiliently to oppose further rotation of said rods;

said how clamping brackets defining said bow limb receiving slots extending in spaced substantially parallel planes transversely of a plane defined by said opposed legs of said frame but angled slightly toward convergence at open ends of said slots when said stop means abut said legs of said frame and said brackets are in an angled untensioned position;

said torsion bar spring rods resiliently opposing displacement of said brackets from said angled untensioned position to a parallel tensioned position, open ends of said clamping brackets being adapted for opposed limited annular displacement from one another upon forced rotation of said torsion bar spring rods in opposite annular directions to stress said stop means against said legs of said frame during positioning of said brackets on said upper and lower limbs of said how;

whereby such brackets are urged resiliently toward each other and toward thicker portions of said bow to ensure firm attachment thereto during use of said quiver with said bow.

6. The quiver of claim 5 and wherein said racks are carried on said upper and lower torsion bar spring rods.

7. The quiver of claim 5 wherein said stop means connected to each said torsion bar spring rods and opposing further rotation of said rods comprise integrally formed extensions of said rods bent reversely to present end portions overlying one of said legs of said frame for spring biasing tensioned abutment thereagainst.

8. The quiver of claim 5 and further comprising integral offset means supporting one of said clamping brackets, in functional disposition, in a plane distinct from a plane in which a corresponding torsion bar spring rod lies.

9. The quiver of claim 5 wherein said frame, said torsion bar springs, and said clamping brackets comprise corrosionresistant lightweight metal alloys.

10. The quiver of claim 9 and further comprising a resilient plastic coating covering said metal alloys at areas engaging and gripping said bow to enhance attachment to and gripping of said how and to obviate damage thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,980,305 4/1961 Reese 12423 3,209,740 10/1965 Hauch 124-24 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

W. R, BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,366,101 January 30, 1968 Charles A. Saunders It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 33 after "limited" insert ositive line 39, for "such" read said p Signed and sealed this 18th day of March 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A QUIVER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO UPPER AND LOWER LIMBS OF A BOW TO BRIDGE A HAND GRIP PORTION OF SAID BOW, SAID QUIVER COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED GENERALLY U-SHAPED FRAME OPENING UPWARDLY AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF COEXTENSIVE, PARALLEL, OPPOSED LATERALLY SPACED LEGS AND A BASE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID LEGS AND INTEGRALLY CONNECTING LOWER ENDS THEREOF; A DISH-SHAPED BONNET CONNECTED TO AND SUPPORTED ON OPPOSED UPPER FREE ENDS OF SAID LEGS OF SAID FRAME AND COMPRISING A SHIELD FOR PROTECTING ARROW HEADS OF ARROWS CARRIED IN SAID QUIVER; A PAIR OF ARROW SHAFT SUPPORTING RACKS COMPRISING AN UPPER AND A LOWER RACK IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION, SAID RACKS BRIDGING AND SUPPORTED ON SAID LEGS OF SAID FRAME ADJACENT UPPER AND LOWER ENDS THEREOF AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED AND TRANSVERSELY THEREOF; EACH SAID UPPER AND LOWER RACKS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF LATERALLY SPACED FLEXIBLE, RESILIENT ARROW SHAFT GRIPPING FINGERS FOR GRASPING ARROW SHAFTS AT AXIALLY SPACED POSITIONS TO HOLD SAID SHAFTS FIRMLY YET RELEASABLY IN SAID QUIVER WHEREBY SAID SHAFTS EXTEND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LEGS OF SAID FRAME AND HEADS OF SAID ARROWS EXTEND INTO SAID BONNET; A TORSION BAR EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID OPPOSED LEGS OF SAID FRAME AND JOURNALED THEREON FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS BRIDGING AND PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LEGS; SPACED UPPER AND LOWER BOW-CLAMPING BRACKET CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AND CLAMP UPON SAID UPPER AND LOWER LIMBS OF SAID BOW; MEANS INTEGRALLY CONNECTING ONE OF SAID CLAMPING BRACKETS TO SAID TORSION BAR; STOP MEANS INTEGRAL WITH SAID TORSION BAR AND DISPOSED UPON ROTATION OF SAID BAR TO ENGAGE AND BEAR AGAINST ONE OF SAID LEGS OF SAID FRAME TO OPPOSED RESILIENTILY FURTHER ROTATION OF SAID BAR AND TO LIMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE OF SAID CLAMPING BRACKETS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH; WHEREBY UPON ATTACHMENT OF SAID CLAMPING BRACKETS TO SAID LIMBS OF SAID BOW, SAID ONE OF SAID BRACKETS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TORSION BAR IS BIASED AND URGED RESILIENTLY TOWARD A THICKENED CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID BOW TO HOLD SAID QUIVER IN FIRM STRESSING ENGAGEMENT ON SAID BOW. 